Every association, group, orchestra, performer and teacher, is asked to actively support this event by encouraging national and local accordion activities to happen in their country on this day or the weekend either side of Accordion Day if that should be more convenient.

Everyone can register their World Accordion Day activity on the website and send a report of their event after, for that website.

No event is too big or too small. ALL accordion events celebrating World Accordion Day are welcome. This is a CIA promotion for the accordion in which every accordion enthusiast can participate and help bring our accordion world together as well as strongly promote the accordion.

XX Kokkolan Talviharmonikka/Winter Festival - Finland

by Diatonic News

11.-18.2.2018

Kokkola winter accordion Festival takes place in the middle of winterwith shows in all parts of the city. The Church of Konservatoriolta, S-Kallentorille, Lohtajalta Ullavalle and Kälviälle.Very small it started for the first time in March 1999 with five concert. The line was clear at the time: varied, high-quality and for people of all ages!

– In February, Kokkola, with many international guests arriving, will celebrate the 20th edition of the Festival. Chinese sheng-soloist Wo Wei gives concerts at the beginning of the week, on Tuesday, 13th February in the Conservatory.

-Sheng is a Chinese mouth-organ. More than 3000 years old, which is all vapaalehdykkäsoittimien – for all accordion, harmonica, bandoneonin and vibrandeonin – its mother. Wu Wei is concidered to be the most important peroformer worldwide of this instrument. He has been performing for decades with the momst important musicians and orchestras such as the Berlin and Los Angeles Philharmonic.

The international meeting in KokkolaKokkola winter accordion Festival will bring the value of the international set of guests when the CIA (founded in 1935 in Paris as European Internationale des Accordéonistes = International Accordion Association) will hold their three-day Conference in Kokkola.

– In Innsbruck, Austria, two years ago, it was decided that this year's Conference will be held in the context of Kokkola winter accordion XX. This is a really big thing and significant appreciation. Guests arriving from all over the world, including New Zealand.

For more - visit: http://www.talviharmonikka.com/

TAG DER HARMONIKA 2018 in Tirol - DAY OF THE HARMONICA 2018 in Tyrol - Austria

Big Squeeze/Texas Folk Life - USA

Texas Folklife is pleased to announce that our first Big Squeeze Talent Showcase of 2018 will take place in Ennis at the Ennis Czech Music Festival at Sokol Hall on Saturday, February 10, 2018.

The Big Squeeze Talent Showcase & Audition at the Ennis Czech Music Festival is one of many Big Squeeze events across Texas in 2018. Texas Folklife's Big Squeeze Accordion Program searches for the top youth accordionist talent in Texas. All genres of accordion music are welcome including Conjunto, Zydeco, Cajun, Polka and more.

The Polka Category has been extended include ages 25 and under.

Accordionists who cannot attend this showcase to audition can submit an audition video by going to: http://texasfolklife.org/bigsqueeze2018 by March 23 at 11:59pm.

Finalists will be announced in early-to-mid April and will perform at the Big Squeeze Finals at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin on April 21.

Talent: -Charlie Lockwood, Director of Texas Folklife and Emcee and Master of Ceremony-Young accordionists will be accompanied by members of Czech & Then Some. Music to follow by David Slovak on the piano accordion, Charlie Patak on the chromatic accordion, and Jerry Petter on the button accordion. All three aficionados will play two songs together featuring the three different accordions.

We are excited to find and showcase accordion talent! The emphasis for this showcase is POLKA. The Polka genre will include German, Czech, and Polish traditions. Cajun / Zydeco will include Creole, Cajun and Zydeco musical traditions. Conjunto will include Norteño and Tejano. Please contact Texas Folklife if you are unsure under which category your music falls.

All young accordionists in any of the above styles are encouraged to show up an hour before start time to register for our contest.

The Italian trumpet and flugelhorn player, Paolo Fresu, is one of the most important jazz musicians on the European scene today. He has collaborated with a large part of the European elite as well as top-shelf artists from the US. However, his well-deserved reputation is due to his creative outings as a solo artist and band leader, which has earned him a large following that admires his expansive performances and fine soft tone, which, according to some critics, carries much resemblance to a certain Chet Baker. Paolo Fresu will perform together with fellow countryman, Daniele di Bonaventura, who is a bandoneonist, whose collaborations extend from classical music to contemporary music, from jazz to tango and world music.

http://jazz.dk/en/vinterjazz-2018/concerts/50310/

‘Folk n’ Irish Cruise’ - Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Mexico

The ‘Folk n’ Irish Cruise’ sails on board the Norwegian Epic cruise liner from February 3rd to 10th, presenting a host of Irish musicians, singers, ceili bands and dancers. The liner sails from and back to Port Canaveral, Florida, visiting the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Mexico, and the organiser is Joanie Madden, flute player with Cherish the Ladies.

The entertainers include Cherish the Ladies, singers Mary Black, TR Dallas and Susan McCann, accordionists Billy McComiskey, John Nolan and Seamus O’Sullivan, concertina player Ann Kirrane, the Pride of Moyvane Ceili Band, and many more.

For further information email: info@joaniemaddencruise.com

Festivals, Competitions, Masterclasses/Seminars/Stages, Reports etc.

Celtic Connections Festival - Scotland

by Diatonic News

18 Jan - 4 Feb 2018 - Celtic Connections 25th

Glasgow’s annual folk, roots and world music festival, Celtic Connections celebrates Celtic music and its connections to cultures across the globe. From 19 January to 5 February 2017​, some 2,100 musicians from around the world will descend on Glasgow and bring the city to life for 18 days of concerts, ceilidhs, talks, art exhibitions, workshops, and free events.

Celtic Connections is programmed by Artistic Director (and founding member of Celtic supergroup Capercaillie) Donald Shaw, and features more than 300 events across multiple genres of music.

The festival is renowned for its strong spirit of collaboration, bringing together one-off line-ups for very special one night only collaborative shows. The camaraderie between musicians continues into the wee small hours at the late-night Festival Club – home of legendary musical collaborations and spontaneous sessions.

“There are situations that you’ll see where people are playing that you’ll never see again, or if you do, it’s because it worked here first.” Donald Shaw, Artistic DirectorFor more:http://www.celticconnections.com/

Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh - Ireland

Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh is a 5 day Traditional Music School paying particular attention to the music, style and of the Corca Dhuibhne peninsula in Co. Kerry, Ireland on the Wild Atlantic Way.

The next Scoil Cheoil will run from Wednesday the 14th to Sunday the 18th of February, 2018 with about 25 classes in a wide range of instruments as well as sean-nós singing workshops and a sean-nós dance workshop. Over the 5 days there are concerts, sessions, singers’ nights, recitals, a pupils’ concert, guided walk, and all sorts of other events based on various aspects of our tradition.

Concerts will feature performances from many musicians including Steve Cooney, Dave Hegarty, Christy Barry, Dermot McLaughlin, Graham Guihan, Nell Ní Chróinín, Shane Mulchrone and plenty more. Coming to Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh not only gives people the opportunity to get a taste of the local music and song, but it gives people a chance to experience the richness of the Irish language here in the heart of the Kerry Gaeltacht.

19th Gathering Traditional Festival - IRELAND

by Diatonic News

This year’s Gathering Traditional Festival is one of the most richly diverse programmes we have had in years, and features everything from a celebration of Scottish Musicians Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham to vibrant music from The Raw Bar Collective, Des Dillon’s set dancing puppets and the outstanding voice of Séan O’Sé – expect magic and mayhem!

Now in its 19th year, The Gathering Traditional Festival is one of most loved festivals amongst traditional enthusiasts and is ideal for everyone from the hard core fans to the culturally curious. From fireside seisiúns to heart-pounding céilís, The Gathering Traditional Festival returns to Killarney for its from February 21 to 25.

The Gathering features concerts, céilís, sessions and storytelling as well as set dancing, singing and instrument masterclasses. Headquartered at The Gleneagle Hotel, this five-day festival attracts trad fans from the US, Britain, France, Germany and all over Ireland.

Concertina week-ends in Nijmegen - Holland

A weekend music and walking in the beautiful surroundings of Berg en Dal led by Mark Söhngen and Hilbert Post. Arrival Friday from 17.00 hours (dinner), end Sunday 16.00 hours.

The workshop... A sensitive minor Waltz, a sensual tango, a languid blues or a swinging polka? The right notes play is one thing, but how do you get such a melody than depending on sensitive or sensual or loom or swinging soft? Mark's grandmother used to say: "C'est le ton qui fait la musique". Therefore: in this workshop to be looked at how one can transfer notes into music: how to make a show, how do you present yourself, how to use the bellows - short, long, soft, hard, how to use your bellows, etc.

All on C/F and evt. G/C on the basis of a pair of beautiful, sensitive, sensual, lome and swinging melodies from the rich repertoire (and that is often more than you think) trekharmonikaspeler can choose, from all sorts of genres, from pop music to folk Bal.

Future events / Concerts

Kokkola Valentine's Day concert - Finland

by Diatonic News

Ke 14.2 is not Bad! – Singh To ParisThe Conservatory at 19.00Pitkänsillankatu 16

Ke 14.2 is not Bad! – Singh To Paris

Valentine's Day concertThe Conservatory at 19.00Pitkänsillankatu 16

The drama of the story is about the fascinating life of Jorma Uotinen's choreography "concert, in its various phases, the stretch of fine and difficult moments of todenmakuisesti. The story by Singh to Paris and images of others. The drama of the concert and an evening of unique personality combining Uotinen W14 hotel!

Songs as La vie en rose, You my eyes I, Where the wild roses grow, Love after, Padam padam, Dance me to the end of love and many others will be performed.

Geno Delafose & French Rockin Boogie - LA/USA

by Diatonic News

Geno Delafose (born February 6, 1972 in Eunice, Louisiana) is a zydeco accordionist and singer. He is one of the younger generations of the genre who has created the sound known as the nouveau zydeco. His sound is deeply rooted in traditional Creole music with strong influences from Cajun music and also country and western.

Fergie MacDonald: The Ceilidh King - Scotland

by Diatonic News

Feb. 3rd, 2018 -

Becoming universally known on first-name terms, not through ego-driven marketing but by popular repute, reverence and affection, happens to very few individuals. And in Scottish music, there’s only one Fergie. The legendary Highland accordionist/bandleader Fergie MacDonald turned 80 in 2017, and the festivities were resounding indeed - so much so that they continue here at Celtic Connections in his final Glasgow appearance.

This celebratory show features Fergie in conversation and reminiscences with Gary Innes, alongside leading admirers like Phil Cunningham and John Carmichael, before he helms a line-up including Allan Henderson, Iain MacFarlane, Addie Harper, Alasdair MacLeod, Hugh MacCallum, Colm O’ Rua and more.

Chubby Carrie/cajun, zydeco, & swamp pop - USA/New Orleans

by Diatonic News

Chubby Carrier is undeniably “The World’s Premier Zydeco Showman.” Born on July 1, 1967 in Churchpoint, Louisiana, Chubby is the third generation of zydeco artists with such famous relatives as Roy Carrier (father), Warren Carrier (grandfather), and cousins Bebe and Calvin Carrier who are presently considered legends in zydeco history. Chubby began his musical career at the age of 12 by playing drums with his father’s band. He began playing the accordion at the age of 15.

Elefant Session @ Celtic Connection - Scotland/Glasgow

by Diatonic News

2 February 2018 9:30PM Old Fruitmarket/Glasgow

Crowned as Up and Coming Act of the Year at the 2014 Scots Trad Music Awards, young Highland quintet The Elephant Sessions have since more than lived up to that promise, honing their high-octane fusion of folk, funk, rock and electronica into a behemoth big-stage sound, and winning hordes of new fans at major festivals including Glastonbury, Tønder and Lorient. 2017’s rave-reviewed second album, All We Have Is Now, further amped up their signature synthesis of warp-speed fiddle/mandolin tunes, monstrous grooves and bold sonic textures, adding dashes of metal, jazz and Balkan influence.

Equally adventurous in spirit, Ireland’s Notify are another instrumental five-piece, who’ve been turning heads both sides of the Pond with their daring yet sensitive alloy of Irish trad and contemporary jazz, featuring concertina, guitars, keyboards, bass and drums, plus samples, loops and programming. “A fascinating cocktail, full of flavour and quite intoxicating.” (Irish Music Magazine)

Terry and the Zydeco Bad Boys - 70118/USA

by Diatonic News

Terry Domingue Accordion and vocals- Since the age of four Terry would stand at the foot of any stage mesmerized by the band playing at the local trail rides he would attend with his father. At age eight, this self-taught accordion player got his first accordion and has been playing since. Growing up around his grandparents Terry had no choice but to learn Creole French. To keep tradition alive he continues to sing many traditional zydeco songs in French as well as writing many new ones of his own

Guardia Nueva - Enternainment concert - Finland

Winter accordion entertainment concert Guardia Nueva is a Finnish international musical tunes and movie music. Musical theatre tunes his Treasury you can hear all the spices in the mm. Evita, Phantom of the Opera, the theater, Mamma Mia, Fiddler on the roof, Jersey Boys.

Dana Point Cajun/Zydeco Night - USA

Lars Karlsson Band performing in Kokkola - FI/Sweden

by Diatonic News

15.02.2018 Kokkola

Lars Karlsson Band formed in Gothenburg in 1997 The band has made numerous tv recordings and appeared in Norway, Denmark, Austria, Spain and the United States. Lars Karlsson Band combines skillfully the Swedish tradition of music of our time, the rhythm of the music, creating a colorful and rhythmic swinging music.

Lars Karlsson is Scandinavia's leading vähärivisten musicians, and he was elected to in Sweden, "harmonikansoittajaksi of the year" in 2001. Lars has been noted for his compositions, and he has received the award along with Alice Babsin and Björn Ulvaeus.

This year, the band spend the 20-year anniversary.The concert initially with Pietarsaaren seudun Willnäsin Music Institute of the accordion Orchestra of Mia.